(It worked!) Luck thought in excitement as a bolt whizzed past his ear.
Even though he had basically learnt the method needed to cast his skill, it didn't mean that he had automatically learnt to manipulate space.
It had been three hours since then. Now, with maximum concentration and a bit of foresight, he could shift projectiles to the point they would barely miss his body.
(It's not enough.) Luck thought with a frown. If he could only perform this well, then how would he be able to use this in battle?
He needed to refine his casting speed, his methods.
The process he took was a tedious one. He had to first send his spatial mana to go over the incoming projectile, scan its trajectory, and then try to influence it to meet his demands.
His process, like this, wasn't practical. He needed to find a way to cut corners and make sure it wouldn't come back to bite him.
His concentration was the first thing he needed to tackle. Balancing his delicate focus was a challenge, leaving him with mostly scraps to cast the spell, even if he directed the focus at the spell.
It didn't really count if he had to put so much effort into maintaining his concentration.
"Why not try using hand signs?"
Glancing in the direction of the voice that so rudely interrupted his thoughts, he saw it was his brother, Luke. Apparently, he had been watching him as he practiced his spatial influence.
"Huh?"
"Why not use hand signs to cast your spell. Remember that series we used to watch, where the ninjas used hand signs to cast their techniques? That seemed to take care of their focus for them, I guess."
Luck regarded his brother. "You may be onto something there. A gesture could circumvent this problem of mine, but it has to be something I can automatically link with the spell."
Luke smiled in satisfaction. "Then get on with it, genius."
Luck smirked condescendingly. "Easy work."
Luck immediately sat, having soon lost himself in meditation.
Seeing his work was done, Luke smiled subtly as he leapt back into his branch to continue his training.
The smile disappeared from his face abruptly upon landing on his part of the tree. Although he was aware when he went to his brother's branch, he felt as if he wasn't in control of his body, trapped in his own mind.
*My apologies, little one. Take this as my compensation."
Luke didn't even have the time to process what the mysterious voice told him because the spell immediately wiped his memory of it. The spell, which he did not know of, replaced his memory instantly, preventing Luke from remembering the encounter.
Luck seemed to sense nothing strange as his face immediately brightened up. He had suddenly gained a new 'idea' for a spell.
A spell that would allow him to fight toe to toe with those he had no business fighting.
. . .
Luck sat unmoving as his thoughts raced through his head. Hours passed as he allowed his mind to sink into his bodily flow.
To be honest, he had already chosen a sign that would represent his spell. All he had to do now was familiarize himself with it to the point that he would even think of the spell while doing it.
(That's not a task for one day.) Luck mused. It really wasn't something he could do.
He suddenly stood up. "I'll just have to make do."
Freya aimed her crossbow as she shot at her master.
Luck regarded the bolt with an indifferent gaze as he suddenly waved his hand through the air.
The projectile's course changed, instead hitting the trunk of the tree.
(The effectiveness improved as well.) Luck said as he stared at his hand. Spatial mana covered his hand. This wasn't the long-term solution to his problem, but it would do until he could perform the spell with gesture instinctively.
Luck suddenly realized there was another factor to his spatial manipulation. Mana Manipulation.
Although it was a foundation skill meant for the ambient mana in the surroundings, spatial mana, as well as any other mana of any form, was ambient mana.
(Which means...)
Luck raised his hand as spatial mana swirled and coalesced into his palm. It took a full minute to achieve what he wanted, but when he was through, he had a dagger made entirely of the magical energy in his grasp.
He threw it.
Luck watched in shock as the dagger disappeared from his sight, reappearing in the trunk of a nearby tree.
(It teleported?! It freakin' teleported!)
*Ding*
[You have created the skill (Spatial dagger(R)!]
Looking at the notification, Luck smiled. He glanced at his friends, who seemed to be also rounding up their preparations.
"Okay, guys. Here's the plan."
. . .
Luck relayed his plan to the others as he swiftly separated from them, taking Kira and a part of Luke's spirit wolves with him.
He didn't leave them with nothing, though. Freya and her squad stood alongside them as they slowly crept towards the goblin settlement.
Stopping just shy of the walls, Tara glanced at her teammates as she whispered, "You guys better not mess up the plan."
Luke and Harry raised their hands in unison, silently proclaiming their innocent agreement.
Tara sighed as she faced forward again. "Let's go, Freya."
"..."
Tara turned to the side. "Freya?"
""Kurrhkkkk_""
Pained groans reached just as she watched the Skeleton Grandarcher slice open the necks of the two hobgoblins that guarded the entrance.
"Wait! We're supposed to work together! "She hissed as she crept quickly to Freya's side.
The undead just glanced at her as she shrugged in response, leaving Tara nothing to say.
With that out of the way, the two sneaked into the settlement.
Surprisingly, the outskirts of the village were dark and empty. Even the houses were devoid of any life."
Tara frowned at the odd predicament, but continued on their way.
Passing the outskirts, it was still the same, causing an uneasy feeling to rise in her heart, but she quickly stifled it away. She had to see this through.
Her anxiety seemed unfounded, as the goblins had gathered in the center for some kind of event.
As they got closer, she saw numerous little green creatures on the ground, moving their hips up and down erratically.
Confused by the odd display, she crept closer to see what was happening.
She immediately regretted it as she recoiled deeper into the darkness.
Unfolding right before her eyes were the goblins having some sort of community orgy.
She shivered as the combined moans and grunts echoed in her head.
(No morality!) Tara exclaimed in her head as she pulled out her daggers. A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she set her eyes on her soon-to-be targets.
Although their mission had gotten several times harder with the concentration of the village population in one area, the duo was unperturbed. They had come with a mission.
And they would play their part splendidly.